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Deals on beer and Valleyfair admission I've been buying Costco's store brand of wines for years. The Kirkland Signature chardonnay, meritage and cabernet are good. Recently, I noticed that Costco liquor stores are also selling beer, although a store rep said that it has been available since last year. Being upscale, Costco's brand includes handcrafted lager and ales. Each case of Kirkland includes a six-pack each of amber ale, German lager, Hefeweizen wheat and pale ale. I found the beer a little weaker than similar ales by Summit or Samuel Adams, but some drinkers might prefer a little less flavor.
Consumer Reports' beer consultants also found the warehouse club versions to be less complex, but the price is a bargain at $19. A case of brand-name ales and lagers ranges from $24 for Leinenkugel's craft beers to $27 for Summit, more for European brands. A Costco membership is not required at the liquor stores, but only cash, certain debit cards and American Express are accepted.
Costco is also selling adult tickets to Valleyfair for $28 in the stores (membership required), regularly $40. Cub Foods sells adult tickets for $32. Starting Saturday, Dairy Queen locations will have coupons for $6 off adult tickets. Last week several sellers were offering adult tickets for $25 on Craigslist.
Savings get better each week at discount store Bargain Seeker (6278 Boone Av. N., Brooklyn Park, 763-533-0435) is closing. Discount shop owner Ric Tessari is retiring, but said that business has slowed because bargain hunters who used to buy several items have cut back. Maybe the storewide discounts of 30 percent on top of items already discounted by half will change that. Markdowns will increase by 10 percent each Tuesday through Aug. 17, when everything will be discounted an additional 80 percent. Besides women's and children's clothing (budget to moderate), kitchenware, jewelry and giftware, there is a fair supply of Baker's Secret metal pans. Most items sell for $5 or less. The store will close Aug. 21, but some new items are still being brought in.
Bloomie's Charisma sheet sale The Charisma line of sheets at Bloomingdale's (Mall of America, Bloomington, 952-883-2747) is highly regarded but expensive. During the lowest price of the season, a queen sheet (flat or fitted) is $48 to $80 on sale (regularly $75 to $125) depending on the cotton and thread count. Get an additional 15 percent off today and Friday with a Bloomie's card. The Charisma deep-fitted sheet fits a mattress up to 22 inches thick. The sale runs through July 25.
John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com.
